The present study was aimed to find out relative toxicity of fermented leaves of Vitex negundo (Linn.) (Verbenaceae), Tridax procumbens (Linn.) (Aceraceae), Calotropis gigantia (Linn.) (Asclepiadaceae), and Pongamia pinnata (Vent.) (Fabaceae) against the tobacco cutworm, Spodoptera litura (Fab.) (Noctuidae: Lepidoptera). Results revealed that tested fermented plant extracts (FPE) caused larval mortality, deformities and induce cannibalism in S. litura. Pupation rate, pupal mortality, and deformities were observed with increased concentrations of FPE. Among the plants tested, C. gigantia caused maximum mortality of S. litura while T. procumbens caused high larval deformities and cannibalism. However, in general, when FPE treated castor leaves were fed to the insect reduced larval and adult periods of S. litura were noticed. The indigenously prepared fermented plant extracts can be a viable option for inclusion in bio-intensive IPM strategies.
Spodoptera litura, Fermented botanicals, Toxicity, Biology, Morphogenesis
